Fatality? at Clapham

[thedarkness]

Does anybody know what the out come of the incident at Clapham was. It happened about lunch time, when somebody jumped under a train close to the scene of the Clapham train crash. Last i heard he was alive and being worked on track side, but it didn't look too good.

[runawaytrain]

EWWWW didnt hear about that but I often think its worse when the job is only "half done"

Andy

[thedarkness]

The pager now says fatality. Will have to read the log tomorrow. 3 of my depot's units involved, no doubt they'll be sat outside waiting for their pit exam tomorrow.
After things like this, we have to give the train an underframe examination, 1 to look for bits {Not normally anything recongisable} and to to check theres no damage to the train, because in all seriousness, you're train has collied with at least 10st of weight, doing 90mph in most cases {Unfortunatly this unit wasn't going too fast by the sounds of it, hence the job only being half done}

[runawaytrain]

Hats off to the guys who have the grueling task of the above mentioned jobs and the BTP alike, and from me .... a round of 10 pints in a pub of their choice to any driver that experiences a "one under"

Andy

[lateagain]

Never actually seen a "one under" happen but I was walking down the steps at Westbourne Park Metropolitan line station over thirty years ago when I saw the faces of everyone on the platform who were actually witnessing it happen. Not a sight I ever want to see again! To see so many people In horrified shock was as chilling as witnessing the incident itself.

I arrived on the platform in time to witness the driver "pull himself together" and shakily but professionslly go through his emergency drill to isolate the power or whatever they do with that socking great bar in the cab.

A load of "rookie" cops came rushing onto the station full of an "I'm in charge" air and one by one as they surveyed the damage they all turned rather pale and looked shaken. Luckily the firebrigade were on hand almost immediately and took charge of the recovery. Saddest of all, I was told that it was a child that had gone under the train.

Every time I hear someone complaining about the firebrigade I think of the job they had to do that day, and that's thirty years on. It reminds me of the drivers professionalism under extreme stress

Lifes always easy if you never have to clear up the mess!

Geoff

[thedarkness]

You get specialist training for cleaning up, and you only get the training if you volunteer. I know at least 2 people on my depot have the training, one is on my shift. He said not only does he clear it up, but if its a suspiscious, he may be asked to give a statement of what he found to the police, and even give evidence at an inquest or trial.

[seaeagle]

a round of 10 pints in a pub of their choice to any driver that experiences a "one under"

That's 30 pints I'm owed In all seriousness though, from a drivers point of view, it's all over in the split of a second. The people I feel sorry for are the emergency services and the alike who have to recover what's left. I've had three "one under's", but I've never seen the end result, I prefer to stay well out of the way.

[suffolk]

I witnessed an "almost one under" a few years ago at Ipswich station, a London bound train was just pulling out of the platform when a man ran onto the platform and tried to get on the train he managed to get the door open but then tripped over and almost went under, the look of horror on peoples faces including mine was frightening, but the most compelling thing was, when the chap picked himself up he literally burst into tears, maybe realising how lucky (but stupid) he was.

It still makes me shiver when I think about it.